[fez-head]

Has anyone heard of a national company named Safeguard Properties Inc.? I was told by a realtor that I do “trash outs” for that I should check them out.

I am looking to change locks, remove all trash, ruined carpet, furniture, appliances and winterize foreclosed homes. I have done half a dozen “trash outs” for Realtors and Banks and the homes usually set for a year before they have them done.

I guess Safeguard Properties Inc. must get the contracts for foreclosed Government loans and then subs it out…. I’m not quite sure yet. Basically I guess I’m just looking for any good or bad info about them before letting them do a background check on me.

Here is the website www.safeguardproperties.com

Thanks a lot,

Jesse R. Kirchhoff
Kirchhoff Handyman Solutions LLC
“Making your Life a Lot Less Complicated’’
www.midmohandyman.com
573-635-2708

 

[busa01]

just curious. how did that safeguard work out for ya?

 

[fez-head]

just curious. how did that safeguard work out for ya?

It didn't.

Let's just say REO companies aren't my cup of tea. Seems like a fast track to bankruptcy.... or an IRS audit. I just can't see a 100% legitimate tax paying, work comp having, non 1099ing company performing the work at the rates any of these companies are paying.

Using illegal subs and dodging taxes possibly.

 

[D.E.P.S.]

I can tell you first hand to avoid safegaurd. When the housing bubble finally broke a few years back, I was out of a estimating job. I ended up working for a large real estate company as a field service tech. I didn't pay much, but the broker made sure that our REO agent tossed me all the Trash/clean outs and repairs. I have dealt with a couple dozen assett management companies, and Safegaurd was one of the worst. They usually had their own local crews but would use us on occasion. I would take about 200-250 date/time stamped pictures of every detail of a job and they would try to get me to go back and take more. Some of theses house were 2 -3 hours away. If I refused....they would take it out of the check. I had a winning bid approved for a 20 yard debris/junk trashout one time and sent in the invoice afterwards. They said all the pics looked great .......and good job!. My check came in about 6 weeks later paying me for 8 yards of debris. I dropped them immediately.

There are some honest assett management companies out there, but you have to sort through all them carefully. I still do a little work for a few of them, but REO type work is slowing down a lot in my region. My area wasn't hit as hard as most, mainly due to being a large Navy town.

 

[D.E.P.S.]

It didn't.

Let's just say REO companies aren't my cup of tea. Seems like a fast track to bankruptcy.... or an IRS audit. I just can't see a 100% legitimate tax paying, work comp having, non 1099ing company performing the work at the rates any of these companies are paying.

Using illegal subs and dodging taxes possibly.

True... about the only way to survive doing REO is working alone... other than a day helper on occasion. I would see 5-6 people in a house with other REO vendor companies doing a trashouts and sales cleaning. I knew they were not making any money on the place because I had had bid on the same units. Some of these crews would shake their heads seeing me work alone, but I eventually came up with a system that enabled me to work more effecient. I even had a trash shoot that I made to clamp to the 2nd floor windows to avoid having to walk through the house to load junk into my trailer. There is some good money to be made......but effeciency is the key.

 

[builditguy]

I talked to a kid that worked for someone doing this work. He said they would go into a house that was full of appliances and furniture.
They would start taking pictures and move things out of the way for the picture. Then they would load up the appliances and anything of value. They would sell that stuff off.
Their picture documenting showed the valuable stuff wasn't there when they arrived.
I still don't think they made a profit.